Best Radar Detectors 2017 – Complete Guide & Reviews

Since emerging in the 1970s, radar detectors have become significant and essential accessories in many vehicles. Drivers who want to get away with speeding, install state-of-the art radar detector systems in their vehicles.

While speeding is against the law, it hasn’t stopped tech companies from developing and manufacturing specialized devices (radar detectors) to help drivers escape the prying eyes of law enforcement.

After tons of research and testing, here are some of the best radar detectors you can buy.

Best Radar Detectors 2017

Remember, this is not a complete list of all radar detectors on the market. We have specifically analyzed and tested the top devices for you. Look through our top 10 best radar detectors of 2017 here.

The Valentine One (also referred to as the “V1”) is a great detector with high-end performance. It has been on the market for quite a while and it has been updated many times throughout the years.

One of the best features on the V1 are the directional arrows that help you locate the source of the threat. It helps you tell if the cop you passed by is the only threat or if there’s more ahead. It is best used when you pull over a high ramp along the highway so that it sees a wider scope. There’s a lot of useful data that is being provided that is essential to the overall experience.

Product Features

In terms of performance, a factory stock V1 will run better than an Escort Max 360. When properly configured, it will also outperform other high-end detectors as well.

Compared to the Escort Max 360, the V1 performs and responds better by allowing its arrows to change almost immediately. One slight downside is the additional features available through the app – V1Driver. While many of the high-end detectors are effective at stopping threats, if you’re aiming for performance, go with the V1.

With a V1 detector, you’ll be able to “see” every detail and radar/LIDAR threat that’s near you.

The Escort RedLine is a multi-functional detector offering various technologies to keep you safe while on the road. It can easily detect signals, even those that are long-range, and will alert you quickly of radar and laser threats.

The RedLine provides one of the longest tested detection ranges on the market. This is definitely one of the top-tier detectors on the market.

It’s a close second to the V1, but the directional arrows on the V1 are hard to top.

Product Features

With its superior detection capabilities, the RedLine stands as one of the best premium detectors. With that comes a premium price tag as well. Much like the other top-end detectors, the RedLine offers twin-antenna design for front and rear detection of radar and laser signals.

It also offers different voice alerts based on the type of threat being detected. This is helpful, though other detectors have different tones or sounds for various threat types as well.

A couple additional great features are auto-mute ability once a threat has been detected and the adjusted brightness following signal detection as well.

The Escort RedLine is one impressive radar detector. It’s one of the best in the market, having been ranked in the top 10 for many years. Although it has some disadvantages, it can’t be denied that the pros outweigh the cons.

Radar detectors are considered must-haves today for many drivers. For drivers who have been purchasing and using radar detectors for 10 years or more, you’ve seen the evolution of the technologies.

When V1 released their directional arrows, it was never-before-seen and considered a difference maker for many users. The Escort Max 360 is working to rival that technology with their directional indicators as well.

Product Features

The Max 360 is Escort’s newest radar detector. Compared to its bestselling predecessor, the Max 2, the Max 360 is even better with a second antenna pointing backwards. Because of this new feature, you have an instant arrow like the V1 allowing you to have an automatic and easy-to-use detector which requires minimal to no setup. Not only that, it doesn’t need extra accessories to be installed.

Radar Detector Buyer’s Guide

A radar detector is an electronic device used by vehicle drivers/motorists to detect if police officers are monitoring their speed while on the road. This is possible because of a radar gun which captures signal that then alerts the driver to slow down so he can avoid being ticketed for speeding.

As a counter technology, law enforcement agencies are using radar laser detectors to outsmart drivers using radar detectors. To combat this, radar detector companies have developed features that will shield drivers from police officers, basically making them invisible and undetected.

Types of Radar Detectors

Corded Radar Detectors – make use of suction cups to be installed in vehicles. They are usually mounted on the windshield and are said to provide the most accurate range of detection.

Cordless Radar Detectors – are portable and can be installed from one vehicle to another. These types of detectors have cleaner installation than corded detectors.

Remote-Mount Radar Detectors – are not transferable as they are mounted permanently. Among the three types, it provides the cleanest installation that even thieves cannot detect.

How Radar Detectors Work

Radar detectors have simple mechanisms. Like a radio, radar detectors are fine-tuned to match the same frequency of police radar. Radar bounces a radar signal away from an object so any detector tuned to the same frequency can capture signals at an often wider range. There are plenty of radar detectors sold in the market and they mostly radio receivers.

As previously stated, any radar receiver tuned to the same frequency with police radar can detect signals at a better range than the origin of the radar itself. This is the reason why vehicle drivers can adjust their speed at a sufficient time because they are able to detect police signals even from far distances. By the time they pass police officers, they’ve already adjusted their speed thus avoiding tickets.

Why Radar Detectors Are Used

The main purpose of radar detectors is to avoid traffic violations. Sometimes, tickets can be expensive and to avoid this, most people install radar detectors into their vehicles. However, recent studies showed that having a radar detector increased the chances of drivers staying too complacent which can result in accidents.

With more and more drivers resorting to the use of radar detectors, it has become an “arms race” for police radar developers and the radar detector industry to battle it out and outdo each other.